Metamorphosis
by firedancer34
Summary: Fixit for ME3 ending. SPOILER ALERT. Fem Shep/Liara implied relationship.


**A/N: SPOILER ALERT FOR ME3 ENDING!** Ok that being said….I loved, I mean LOVED the game. I laughed, I cried, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The entire finale had me choked up. And then Bioware went and crushed me. I mean I loved the option for three possible endings. But seriously….did they have to have such a WTF ending for all three? I was left feeling emotional drained and defeated and more than a little confused. I mean I know that realistically the game couldn't just have an 'everyone lives happily ever after' ending but seriously, Bioware you had better find some way to fix this damn it! In the meantime…thank god for fanfic. Here is my fixit. I am changing some canon obviously- some of it an obvious need to fix a few glitches/bugs that appeared in the game. (Like how the hell did Ashley/ Liara end up back on the Normandy when they were groundside?) Also I wrote this in the span of a few hours today and it is seriously un-beta'd. Sorry for the mistakes. The first section is from Shep's POV but then the story will switch back to regular format. Fem Shep/Liara implied relationship.

P.S. This is in no way attached to my current story and yes I will get back to that but I HAD to get this out of my system.

**Metamorphosis **

_**Shepard **_

Dying in the cold of space had only been slightly more painful than this. The small mercy with my death had been the expediency of it.

Every nerve is screaming…those that aren't completely dead from the third degree burns that are covering half my body. The stench of melted flesh that rises from within the twisted and smoking remains of my armor makes me want to retch with every labored breath that I take. I've already lost that battle of wills several times during my excrutiating journey here. Desperation causes one to pick and choose their battle however, and the only battle I cared about winning was staying alive and conscious long enough to complete my mission. And somehow….I held on long enough to do just that.

Beside me, Anderson has finally succumbed to his own well earned rest, and I try not to think too hard about the fact that it came from my own hand. I stare at the tableau before me, my vision finally starting to narrow as the tears begin to spill. Earth, Reapers, ships from every corner of the galaxy, all amassing to one giant field of fire, death, and destruction. Soon it would end though…and I can finally rest.

My eyes start to slide shut as awareness begins to fade, and I reach out for that comforting blackness that will take the agony and weight of the universe away. And then a voice rudely chases it all away. The weapon….it's not firing…..

I did deep into my last reserves and try to make my way to the control panel to see what's wrong. I want to scream from the fire and horrendous pain that every little move causes. I barely have enough strength to grunt. Those few short feet have pushed me beyond my limits however, and I scream 'NO!' inside my head as my body betrays me when I…when the universe…needs it most. I collapse to the floor and the darkness consumes me even as I ask for forgiveness of the billions of lives I am failing.

Waking was not something I had anticipated. The pain was still there, the stomach churning scent still invaded my olfactory senses, and my body was trembling from shock and exhaustion. But somehow, I managed to find enough strength to climb back to my feet and look around. The heavens above Earth were still burning in the fires of the war being waged fiercely and desperately. Earth was burning. And I was in a new room, looking down at the avatar of the boy who had haunted my dreams all these weeks.

I was slow in processing what the 'child' was telling me…offering me. Being half dead and in severe shock will do that to one. But the choice was mine to make….and mine alone. This was a one time offer, and whatever I chose would impact all life in the galaxy in a way that was too staggering for me to even begin to comprehend.

Destroy all synthetic life. Images of Legion, the Geth that were laying down their lives to fight what they had once deemed as their gods, and EDI all flashed into my mind. They had already sacrificed much and gone in the face of their programming to become free thinking beings who were now putting their own existence on the line to fight this vicious cycle of death, destruction and assimilation. The 'child' was wrong about them.

Take control of the Reapers. And then what? The future….both far and immediate were too uncertain for me to even try and guess what would happen. Would the Geth rise up once more? Would our races create more AI's down the line that would try and overtake us? What would the child do as soon as the Reapers- its own creation- do if I destroyed them? Which I would do if I took that option.

Synergy. I understood the concept, but how it would effect all life in the galaxy I couldn't comprehend.

Or maybe I could.

Looking down at my nearly useless left arm, I note the melted synth-flesh and see the wiring on the lower arm that Cerberus was forced to replace when they brought me back. Willing or not, I was the living embodiment of organic and synthetic life. My fingers flexed ever so slightly and I grunted at the pain that flared along the surviving nerves.

Looking up at the beam in front of me, I realized what my choice…and only decision could be. We'd fought too damn hard for this cause…..for life. All of us. I would be damned if I dishonored those sacrifices by committing genocide. Everyone had already managed to look beyond their fears and mistrust of each other. This would be the chance to truly understand one another. It would take time, but our people would be united into something far greater than I believe even this 'child' could imagine.

With hope growing in my heart I stagger towards the beam. My injuries, the agony and my own physical weakness threaten to bring me down. But my resolve carries me forward, my path unerring. Hackett and Anderson told me I was bound for greatness…that I would some day lead our people to salvation. I never truly believed that until this moment. I draw strength from the love, friendship and memories of those that have helped me stay this path to the end, and my stagger turns into a determined run and the last few feet.

As I reach the edge of the precipice I do not hesitate or waver as I throw myself into the beam of pure energy, my body becoming the catalyst to begin a process that will change all life in the universe forever. Something is happening to my body….like its being ripped apart at the molecular level. In those last few moments of searing awareness I let my mind drift to those last tender moments with Liara, and pray that she somehow survived. And then darkness claims me one last time.

**_Back on Earth….._**

This was it. The Reapers were suddenly aware of the fact that their existence was now threatened, and they were holding nothing back. The allied soldiers of the galaxy- human and synthetic- stood firm in the face of the Reaper's wrath. Life was extinguished by the thousands within minutes, but still they held knowing that this would be the defining moment in their combined histories. Either those who their hopes rested on would accomplish their mission, and bring this bloody war to an end, or they would all die fighting for their freedom- to the last man, woman, and machine.

And then a brilliant green light burst through the haze of thick black smoke, and rushed through the atmosphere like visible shockwave. The fighting ceased immediately as a deafening silence followed in the wake of the shockwave. Organic and synthetic life alike collapsed where they stood, a wave of….something rushing through their very beings filling them with untold understanding, wisdom, and peace, while altering the very fabric of their beings.

The transformation was almost instantaneous, but the overwhelming emotional aftermath left most laying stunned where they fell for several long moments before they took notice of their surrounding once more. When they did, they were astonished to find that the Reapers were just as frozen as they were….and there was an echo of almost….hearing them. Before anyone really had a chance to process what had happened however, the Reapers were departing. Any who tracked their movements and managed to get a glimpse through the smoke saw a blinding streak of green flash out from where the Citadel hung above Earth. Those in the thousands of ships now drifting above and around Earth, were hard pressed to bring themselves and their ships back under control enough to avoid further damage or destruction.

As they did, eyes kept glancing at skin now lined with beautiful and decorative synthetic filaments- the only physical manifestation of their new and improved bodies. It was going to take time for them to adjust to the new…awareness of everything and of themselves individually. But they could save that for when they stood down completely from the hell they'd all just survived, when they were in the safety of their homes and the arms of those they loved.

It was several minutes before the stunned peoples of the galaxy began cheering as one, realizing that victory had indeed been achieved. Battle hardened soldiers of all races sank their knees offering prayers of gratitude as tears of joy and grief overwhelmed them.

Aboard his Cruiser, Admiral Hackett watched as the Citadel was riddled with explosions from the force of the weapon firing and watched as it tore itself apart even as it sent out the blast that hit the relay. The Relay fired one last time and then it too began to crumble from the power it was never meant to distribute. Reports were coming in from all over within minutes, of the entire network distributing the blast and then collapsing afterwards. But every report came in the same. Life was around the galaxy was involved in some kind of rapid evolution, and the Reapers were withdrawing. Walking to his command chair the battle weary veteran sank gratefully into it and finally allowed himself both a moment to relax and to say goodbye to two dear friends….and the galaxy's saviors.

When he looked back up, he noted that parts of the Citadel were floating towards Earth's atmosphere, but that the explosions wracking the destroyed station were lessening. "We need to keep as much of that debris from hitting Earth. Notify all ships that are able, to coordinate with their Fleet Commanders in handling the largest portions. Have as many of the others send search and rescue teams over to what is left. Tell them to be prepared for the worst….it sounded grim."

"Aye Aye Admiral."

"Any word from the Normandy?"

"No Admiral. As soon as that thing fired, they jumped through the Relay. One of our ships in the Exodus Cluster thought they caught part fo a distress call originating from the Normandy, but with the Relay down and almost all of the Fleet ships here…"

"There isn't much anyone can do," he sighed heavily. "Let's focus on the immediate then Lieutenant. There are a lot of people out there who still need our help.

**XOXO**

"-ara. Come on girl wake up. There you go…open those beautiful blue eyes for me."

The familiar multi-toned was threaded with concern and pain. Liara forced her fluttering eyes to open, and took in the bloodied and scorched face of her friend and teammate. She tried to speak, but the searing pain throughout her body, and dry throat only allowed her to emit an agonized groan.

"Don't try and talk just yet. Here, drink a little of this," Garrus offered as he shifted her in his lap and offered her a few sips from his canteen.

She gratefully accepted it, and let her eyes close. The pain and injuries had kept her from truly noticing the transformation in both of then just yet as her vision was wavering and badly blurry. "Shepard?" she asked finally.

There was a chuff of sad amusement. "I watched Harbinger take her out like it did the rest of us. But somehow she survived…and she did what needed to be done. What it cost her in the end? No one really knows just yet. But she saved us…and something else it would seem," he remarked as he raised his hand up to stare at it in amazement.

Liara's eyes opened at this. "What do you mean-," and then she broke off realizing that what she'd thought was a hallucination before was in fact a reality. She brought her own aching hand up, gasping at botht he pain and the sight of it. When her eyes glanced upwards, she realized that the same filament lines ran all across what she could see of Garrus' body. "What…what is this?"

Garrus closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. He hurt like hell, but there was this sense of something….amazing that seemed to glow from within him. "I have no idea, but I think things are about to get a whole lot better…for everyone."

Liara closed her eyes and just lay there within Garrus' protective hold, her abused body and fuzzy mind too exhausted to analyze and catalogue everything that had just transpired. She shifted at one pointed, and whimpered slightly as fire raced along her lower body.

"Easy now. Harbinger did a number on us. Help should be here soon though. I heard Jack's voice over one of the other soldier's comms. She and her kids know we are here and they are coming for us."

"How bad…are your injuries?"

"I'll live," came the typical response, and despite her pain, Liara managed a weak smile. And then she thankfully passed out.

**XOXO**

"Let's move!" Jack screamed at what was left of her kids. She knew it was better than most of the units that had been assigned to the field, but that last push by the Reapers had taken a heavy toll on her team. She pushed her anger and rage down however and used it to fuel the punishing pace she was setting. The kids tried to keep up, but they were drained and began to fall behind. Jack thought about remaining with them, but the Reapers had left, and they knew where she was headed. Her friends needed her help and she would not let them down.

"Prangley keep the team together and keep pushing to the rally point! Those people are going to need every body that is left standing to help the wounded!"

"We'll be right behind you LT!"

LT. She'd laughed in disbelief when Kahlee had told her about the battlefield commission. And then old man Anderson had presented her with the papers, the bars and the uniform in person. She'd stopped laughing and had run a finger along the fabric of the uniform that she had once despised so much.

"You've earned this Jack," Kahlee had told her in quiet pride. "You beat all the odds, you struggled through every hardhsip that life has thrown at you, and you became a better person for it. No one could have reached these kids like you did. No one else could have prepared them for what they are up against now. You have their respect and their trust, and it wouldn't feel right turning them over to anyone else to command."

"Shepard is my friend and she told me all about you Jack. She had so much respect and admiration for everything you've overcome in your life. The fact that you were willing to sacrifice it all to help her on that mission, proved to her and me that you weren't beyond redemption. I need someone like you to lead those kids out there Jack, and not just because we are desperate. You've earned the right to wear this uniform," Anderson had told her.

And here she was, a Lieutenant in Shepard's army. The Commander had gotten a good laugh out of that one. She didn't blame her one bit. It was still weird to have her kids call her by her rank instead of her name. It was even weirder to have all these other soldiers, men and women who had gone through proper channels to actually salute her and call her 'Ma'am'.

Getting respectable in your old age there, Zero. Next thing you know you'll be settling down and starting a family, she mused to herself as she ran across the rubbled remains of London's street's, using her biotics to leap over obstacles and craters, thankful for the light armor that kept her hide intact when her power faltered mid-air more than once.

Reaching into the small pouch at her waist she pulled out the nasty energy goo that had been specifically designed to bolster biotics when they began suffering the debilitating crashes that came with the drain their powers inflicted upon their bodies after heavy power usage. She gagged it down on the run, and hoped she would hold out. It wouldn't do to have the kids come across their LT passed out like a little bitch.

Halfway there she came across what was left of the Urdnot shock troops. "Grunt, you ugly bastard!"

She called out to the young Krogan male as he dropped down from the wreckage of a building they all exited from.

The larger male next to him- had to be Wrex- eyed her, but said nothing as his teammate veered off and ran beside her. She caught him eyeing her armor. "So who did you kill for that armor?"

She laughed. "Can you believe they were crazy enough to give me a commission?"

"I knew the humans were desperate…but you? Now I know the Universe has gone crazy!" he laughed back.

"Any word from Shepard?"

"Negative. She managed to get that weapons to do whatever it did," he said looking down at his altered hands.

"I hear Vakarian and few others from Hammer survived Harbinger though."

"Me too. My team isn't too far behind. My suit took a bad hit during that last push though and my comm has been sketchy at best. What's the word?"

"The war's over and we're all alive. Wrex hasn't said much other than that, but something is troubling him."

Jack frowned at that. She'd only briefly met the Urdnot Leader, and he definitely wasn't the type to be bothered by anything. Like everything else however she pushed it down and away and focused only on their mad dash to the survivors of the Hammer strike team.

What they saw caused even her to draw up short. Harbinger had laid waste to anything that had obviously moved in the area surrounding the transport beam. Vehicles and people lay scattered around the charred grounds, and the smell was nauseating. Even to the Krogans it appeared. "People lived through this?" Jack whispered in disbelief.

"Barely," Wrex grunted and then ordered his troops to fan out and begin checking for survivors.

Jack moved from one charred and lifeless body to the next, not needing to check for a pulse on most. She found one who was alive…barely. But the light in the filaments that now adorned his skin was dim and fading fast.

"Did….did we win?"

"We did it. The Reaper's are gone," she told him, reaching out to lay a hand on his shoulder. He smiled weakly and died knowing that they had saved Earth. She watched as the light faded from his body completely and then turned away to see if there was anyone else left alive.

As they searched, more troops filtered in to aid in the search and rescue. An entire transport truck filled with human, asari, and salarian medics arrived and they quickly set up a triage tent for those who had been founded and needed immediate treatment before they could be transported any further.

The soldiers took heart that for as many as had sacrificed their lives here, more than a dozen men and women had been found alive. Jack's team finally arrived and she set them to work carefully moving crumbled walls, pillars, and righting tossed vehicles so that access could be gained to them to search inside for survivors.

Jack had finally reached what was the remains of a small building near the center of the destruction when she finally spotted two familiar forms laying against the shelter of a collapsed wall. "GRUNT! WREX!" she called out as she ran towards the two people that had been with Shepard.

They were both by her side in an instant and seconds later were crouched in front of the Garrus and Liara. All three let out a sigh of relief at seeing the telltale glow of life, however dim it may have been, and then set about gently pulling Liara from Garrus' protective hold. Both were thankfully unconscious as a quick glance as the physical state of their bodies indicated severe and painful injuries.

"Looks like T'Soni is going to give Vakarian a run for him money in the scar department," Wrex remarked as he gazed down at the asari in respect.

Jack was already pulling out the emergency first aid kit from her suit, while Grunt began injecting both with extra doses of medi-gel from his own supplies. "Shepard's going to be pissed if we let her woman's pretty little blue ass scar because we didn't take good care of her."

"I doubt her wrath will be something we have to fear unfortunately," Wrex muttered grimly as he began pulled his own first aid kit out and pressed a thick field dressing to a gaping wound in their turian friend's side.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack asked sharply.

"Whatever that weapon was, it ripped the Citadel apart. Our Fleets are struggling to keep the arms from crashing down around our heads."

Dead silence met his statement. "Shepard's been in tight spots. If anyone-," Jack began.

"Shepard barely made it to the control room alive. Reports say that the focus of that…blast came from the central hub where the control room was," he said cutting her off. "Search teams are scouring what is left, but so far there have only been small pockets of survivors on the outer most edges of the Citadel arms," Wrex said cutting her off. "There's more, but for now, we need to focus on the injured. Then we can sort out the mess that this war has left us with."

With that, he stood and moved off, leaving Grunt to take over keeping pressure on the bandage against Vakarian's side.

"He liked Shepard a lot didn't he?" Jack asked quietly.

"In his eyes, she is Clan and a sister to him. But there is something else. If Shepard is truly lost, then she died a warrior's death and he knows she wouldn't have had it any other way. He would be toasting her sacrifice. Something else weighs heavily upon him, and he is unwilling to reveal what he knows just yet."

Jack looked around at the carnage that surrounded them and sighed. "What the fuck could be worse than this?"

"The possibility is troubling," was all Grunt said as they turned back to tending their fellow comrades until the medics came over to move them gently to the field hospital that had been set up.

**XOXO**

Tali Zorah vas Normandy found herself more than overwhelmed by the authority that had been thrust upon her. "Admiral, I don't really know-,"

"Admiral Zorah, you are the senior most rank officer of any ground force in the area. I am turning command over to you for the time being until you can be relieved by someone more familiar with the area," Hackett interrupted. His tone softened as he continued. "Tali I know you feel like your position amongst your people was more of an honorary one, but you have battlefield experience and those troops need someone who can think fast and on their feet right now. The war is over, this is just mop up. You've worked with Shepard long enough and you've had plenty of experience of your own the last couple of years. All the soldiers there need is someone to organize the search, rescue and recovery efforts. Figure out who is still left standing and focus on regrouping and saving the wounded."

Tali sighed and then nodded. "Very well Admiral. But given the loss of the relay's my people have some serious concerns facing us. As soon as you can spare someone else, I will need to head up to meet with the other Admirals to discuss the dangers that face us."

"We understand. Earth is in ruins and our solar system doesn't offer much else in the way of areas to settle, and food sources right now. Trust me when I say that we are well aware of the problems that face everyone who has been stranded here. We'll cross that bridge soon Admiral, but right now we have people who need our help just to make it through the rest of this day. I'll have you relied as soon as I can. in the mean time I am transmitting my authorization code to have you placed in charge of the London Command. Good luck Admiral Zorah. Admiral Hackett out."

Tali sighed and then accessed her Omni tool which showed that Hackett's orders had indeed been transmitted and available for anyone to access who might question her authority. With a room full of soldiers present for the comm call though, it wasn't really necessary. One of them stepped forward and saluted her.

"You're orders Ma'am?"

"Pull up the map and start showing me who's checked in. Let's see what we have to work with. Also have all medical personnel and whatever gear we can spare loaded into four different transports. We will set up field hospitals at key locations to reduce transport time. Make the FOB the central point since the most advanced lifesaving equipment is here and cant be easily moved. Tell the teams they have ten minutes to be prepped and ready to go."

"Aye aye, Admiral."

**XOXO**

Ashley Williams tried to roll over and then screamed in pain as her shattered leg shifted within the confines of her suit.

"Williams?" a familiar voice asked in a bare whisper from nearby.

"James?"

"Still here LC….for a little while at least," he added before he coughed weakly.

Ashley managed to roll her head in his direction and swallowed hard at what she saw. The building they had been perched in to provide cover fire, had been collapsed the moment Harbinger began blasting everything in sight. They'd both been spared the fire that had rained down on so many of their friends and teammates, but they'd nearly been crushed under tons of concrete during their several story rapid decent. Ashley knew her shoulder was dislocated, and when she'd tried to move the bones in her leg had ground together in a way that told her it was fractured in multiple places…if not completely pulverized. Everything was beginning to hurt and a steady stream of blood kept running into her eye.

But she was far better off than her partner. The brawny marine had lost his helmet as well on the way down and from the size of the gash in his skull it was a miracle that he was even awake. But that wasn't anything compared to his current predicament. His shields and armor had been pushed beyond their limit during the fall and when he'd landed flat on his back on a piece of rebar, it had gone clear through his chest. From where she lay, Ashley could see that it must barely be missing his heart, but blood was steadily pooling beneath him. She noted how different it looked, and for a few long moment's was morbidly fascinated by what she was seeing.

"James," she exhaled sadly as her head dropped back down to the ground.

"It's okay LC," he wheezed. "Everything's numb…..and we did it….Shepard did it."

"Just…just try to hang on….help should be here soon," she said as she gathered her strength and willpower and then lifted her head to look for one of their helmets so she could access their comms. After a minute of looking she finally found hers located sitting half buried under a pile of loose timbers and plascrete. Closing her eyes, she forced her good arm and leg under her body, nearly blacking out from the pain that rolled through her.

Five agonizing minutes later, she'd dragged her body across the few feet of broken debris and collapsed back on the ground with her helmet in hand. James had been silent for most of it, wavering in and out of consciousness. "You still with me Vega?"

The silence continued. "LT wake the fuck up. That's an order soldier!" Ashley shouted as she tapped the comm button on her helmet and was greeted only with static. "Damnit!"

"Was wondering….how long it would be…before you started bossing me around again."

Despite the gravity of their situation, Ashley felt a faint smile lift her lips. Dropping the useless helmet to the ground she dragged herself over to lay next to James. "Didn't hear you complaining the last time," she panted.

"I like….a little fight…..in my women," he said with a trace of his usual smugness.

"You're an ass," she chuckled, finding comfort in the banter.

"I do…have the best one….in the Fleet…"

"God you are so full of yourself."

"Even…laying here…pinned like a bug…on a wall…I'm still better lookin' than….everyone else….'cept maybe you."

The pool of blood was spreading to where Ashley lay, and the warm fluid was a harsh reality of the fact that he was dying in front of her. "Please just hold on James….I'll figure something out. If I have to crawl out of here to get help I will."

"Better 'n watching me bleed out…all over that…..nice armor of yours."

"Please don't say that."

"It's okay Ash….we both knew….this was probably a one way ticket."

His words were getting further apart now, and she could tell he was losing the battle to stay awake. She needed to do something to get them help. And then a dim flash of metal caught her eyes. Her pistol. With the last bit of her strength she dragged herself to it, and nearly sobbed in relief when her fingers closed over the grip. She pulled the trigger three times, waited for a moment and then fired three more. "There….they have to know where we are now. It won't be long…."

**XOXO**

In the absence of the battle that had been raging around them only a short while ago, the sudden report of gunfire from nearby caused everyone to start. Wrex turned in a slow circle, his hearing centering in on where the shot came from. He grabbed a passing human. "That wasn't normal fire at an enemy, that was a signal for attention. It came from that direction, get me a team of medics and send them over towards that group of collapsed buildings."

"Will do sir," she acknowledged before jogging off towards the hospital and grabbing two more people along the way.

Wrex moved swiftly and surely through the rubble, stopping every now and then to listen for signs of life. "Who's there?" he bellowed out, hoping they were conscious enough to respond. There was a moment of silence and then three more shots fired. Honing in on the direction he turned back to see that the humans were following at a respectable pace and gestured. "Over here!" he called out and then began breaking through the rubble, careful not to bring any more of the weakened structure down on everyone. It took several minutes, since he had to be cautious, but he was finally through.

"I'll be damned," he muttered as he recognized two soldiers. The male had roused just enough to smile faintly at Wrex.

"About time…..take good…care of her…."

Wrex looked up from where he was kneeling next to Williams. He noted the faint and rapidly diminishing glow of the male. "I swear on my honor," he told the soldier somberly.

"Tell…Shepard…if she's still alive….it was an honor."

"She already knew," Wrex murmured as the young man's eyes slid shut and the light faded entirely. He turned his attention back to Williams, who was being looked over by the medics. He stepped back as they stabilized her and then loaded her onto a stretcher to move her back to the hospital. Once everyone had left, Wrex crouched down and removed the male from where he'd been impaled and carried his body back to the hospital area as well. There was nothing that could have been done for him, but they could at least offer him a proper burial.

**XOXO**

She was standing in the vastness of space, looking down over her galaxy. A presence moved up beside her. "What now?"

"Only you can answer that now Shepard. You have broken the cycle, you are now in control of their fates."

"I don't want to be in control. All I ever wanted was for everyone to be in control of their own destiny. Our races may be young compared to what you have been witness to, but there is so much potential. Everyone makes mistakes, but the very fact that they were able to put all of that aside to unitedly stand against you proves that they are good people."

"Desperate people can be good when the need arises."

"True. But the willingness to lay it all on the line only goes so far when someone isn't truly committed to a cause. Yes we have much to learn still, but now we have the chance to explore what you would have so easily taken away from us…what you stole from untold other civilizations. We will prove you wrong."

The avatar smiled at her. "Then I look forward to sharing this existence with you. Go now…and be their Shepard."

Then she was rushing headlong towards the stars that made up her galaxy until she came crashing back into awareness. In those first few moments of her new existence she was bombarded by the sensation of trillions of living beings struggling to be let loose from within her. Her body seemed to expand to encompass the furthest reaches of the galaxy, before she felt like she was ready to explode. The noise inside of her was deafening, fire raced through her veins and circuitry, and her mind was on the verge of overload. Her body convulsed once. Twice. And then she screamed.

**XOXO**

"Sir! We've got unidentified incoming!"

"Where?"

"It's too fast to…it's heading straight to Earth…London."

"Get me Admiral Zorah-" Hackett's words broke off as a streak of light blew right past the gathered Fleets and straight into Earth's atmosphere. "Gods…..what…report!"

"Sir….no impact detected. Trying to contact-," and then the Comms Officer slumped over his console clutching at his head as a stab of pain shot through him and everyone else aboard.

**XOXO**

Admiral Zorah had just arrived at the aftermath of Hammer's last push to the transport base and was grimly assessing the casualties when a green flash of lightening streaked through the black smoke and slammed into the ground, right where the transport beam had been and where the Citadel blast had hit. The shockwave knocked most off their feet, the brilliance of the light momentarily blinding anyone who had witnessed it

When hands moved from shielded eyes, and everyone's vision adjusted, what they saw before them was…..simply unbelievable.

Picking herself off the ground Tali Zorah was the first to speak. "Shepard." It was a breath of relief, shock, hope, and fear all at the same time.

The woman was laying in a crumpled heap on the ground where she'd impacted, the crater around her smoking and impressive in size- even to the Krogan. Her body was still, silent and dark. It was clear from a distance just how extensive the damage to her body was. Weapons had been brought to bear, and Tali looked over at Wrex, Jack and Grunt who nodded as they flanked her and slowly and cautiously began to approach the unmoving body.

Their progress halted when the smoking figure jerked suddenly, and then a faint light began to pulse steadily along the filaments across her flesh. They watched in stunned fascination as the pulses grew stronger with every passing second, the broken bones and burnt flesh healing rapidly before their eyes. Those pulses continued to intensify until the light became so blinding that even Tali, with her protective visor, was forced ot look away and shield her eyes.

"What the hell is going on?" Wrex shouted.

Tali looked down at her Omni tool and gasped. "Keelah…the energy readings coming from her…"

"Is…..did the Reapers somehow turn her into some kind of bomb?" Jack asked, also shouting over the steady hum that was increasing in volume.

"I have no idea!"

"I think we should fall-,"

And then everyone fell to their knees gripping their heads in pain as the scream that tore from the throat of the woman convulsing several meters away, ripped through their very essences.

**XOXO**

Liara T'Soni was shocked out of her unconsciousness by a pain that was not her own. She floundered in a fog of half awareness as she tried to identify what had touched a part of her so deeply that it has immediately awakened a primal part within her.

Feelings, sensations, and sounds assaulted her on every level of her being. She struggled to find reason to the choas that flowed around her and there, in the middle of the storm, she found the spark that had ignited it all. One she had thought extinguished. Hope swelled within her, fear was pushed aside and desperation caused her to surge forward into that maelstrom and reach out to that spark.

**XOXO**

Just when she thought she was about to lose herself to the pain, confusion, and overwhelming input, Shepard felt a familiar touch brush across her mind. With a sob, she mentally threw herself into that open and loving presence, and as they joined in a way that far transcended what they had been capable of before, Shepard felt the storm begin to recede.

Seconds, minutes, hours. She was not aware of how long had passed before she'd opened her eyes and found herself laying face down in he dirt of her homeworld. The chaos of his mind had settled and faded to a background noise. It threatened to overwhelm her still, but her lover was there with her, helping her keep it at bay. A small voice inside told her that control would come quickly as soon as her newly reconstructed and healed body adapted fully to its changes. Unsure of where that bit of information came, she felt her lover mentally start at the presence of a third within Shepard's mind, but both women pushed it aside in favor of a need to actually see and touch one another physically.

"Admiral Zorah, what's going on down there?"

"I-…I don't know just yet Admiral Hackett. There was this lightening and the impact shook everything up. Next thing we know Commander Shepard was laying in the crater of the impact. Then….I don't know how to describe it sir. She started glowing…the same green as the light. And then….then she screamed and we felt it sir."

"We felt it up here too," the older human admitted gruffly.

"When it stopped, the light dimmed, and she's been laying there for the last several minutes not moving."

"Is she alive?"

"It appears so. But she was emitting an energy level so high that we didn't feel safe in approaching just yet. Only now does it seem to be lowering. I think-wait….Keelah, she's moving."

"Be careful Tali. Keep me posted."

"Aye Admiral," the Quarian said absently as she watched her friend slowly struggling into a kneeling position. She wavered, as if dizzy, and then pushed herself to her feet and raised her head to take in the stunned audience that surrounded the area.

Her eyes settled on her four friends, and each of them felt a surge of pride, warmth, and relief rush through them along with the brush of something that was alien and yet familiar to them. It was so overwhelming that it brought even Wrex to his knees as he whispered her name as one would a deity.

They looked her almost angelic features over, realizing that she was far more advanced in her transformation than any others that they had seen so far. The filaments covered a larger portion of her exposed flesh, and instead of the steady glow of their own, hers sparkled as if one looked hard enough they could see the data that was being rapidly transmitted throughout her body. Her eyes glowed a brilliant green, and her whole face emitted a glow that warmed and softened her normally stern expression.

"Shepard."

The woman in question approached and pulled her Quarian friend to her feet, smiling. "It's good to see you alive and well Tali Zorah vas Normandy."

"Shepard…wh-what happened?"

"To be honest? I'm still not completely sure. I-…I'm still trying ot process everything and if it weren't for Liara I'd be going a little insane right now."

"The Reapers?"

"Won't be coming back unless we ever need them to."

"Need them?" Wrex asked in disbelief.

"It's a long story Wrex. One that I'd like to process a bit more and then only have to tell once. After I see my bondmate."

"She's in the tent. Her and Vakarian both managed to survive."

"I know….I can feel them both just I feel all of you."

"Can you feel the others?" Grunt asked, amazed by this revelation.

Shepard closed her eyes and stretched her senses as carefully as she could to reach out for the ones that meant most to her and smiled sadly a few moments later. "Most of them. Several are…dark…and most likely perished in the fighting. And because I know you lost contact and are worried, Jeff and EDI managed to make an emergency landing. The Normandy will likely never fly again, but most of the crew survived. They will be safe and the planet they are on will provide well for them until a rescue can be made."

"Huh," was all the younger male Krogan could manage in response.

"Come on Shepard. Let's get you to your woman. Oh….and just so you know, we took good care of her while you were off sprucing up your body. So don't even think of giving us dirty looks at the new set of scar's she's gonna have. If anyone's to blame it'd be Vakarian right? Probably dared her to step in front of that beam."

"That bad?" Shepard asked Jack well aware of the fact that her lover was in a good deal of pain.

"Let's just say that it's a good thing she's asari and already has an edge on the rest of the females in the galaxy in the looks department."

Inside the hospital, people paused in their actions as she walked by to stare in awe at the legend that was amongst their midst. Shepard was unaware fo it all however as she focused solely on the one thing that had given her the courage to face her destiny no matter what the cost and was even now helping her hold the pieces together despite her own pain and exhaustion.

Walking up to the cot that held her lover, Shepard knelt and took Liara's uninjured hand in her own. "Hey," she whispered, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on bloodstained lips.

"I thought I had lost you."

"I never lost you," Shepard said, her eyes glowing ever so brightly. "You were the one thing that kept me going Liara. I knew that no matter what I faced, I would always have you here, with me," she told her lover as she placed Liara's hand over her heart.

"Is it truly over?" Liara asked, her eyes closing as tears of joy slid past them.

Shepard paused for a minute and then one of the smirks slowly began to blossom. "No love. It's just beginning. Things might be a mess now, but we will rebuild, and with the knowledge that I possess and the combined forces of our people, Earth will be restored, the Relay will be rebuilt and people can go home quicker than anyone even realizes right now. And that's when things will really become interesting. But for now, I just want to savor this moment of peace with the woman that I want to spend an eternity with."

**_Two thousand years later…_**

"Tell me another story about the Shepard."

"It's getting late, but okay… one more story. It's said that the Shepard and her love wandered the stars for centuries after The Final War. Together they taught and brought peace and harmony to all life, and that is why there has never been another war since. The older races kept an eye on the younger races and as we developed and matured, they brought us into their fold, patiently teaching us all that they had learned and so very nearly lost. It is not clear when The Shepard and her love disappeared, or where they went to. But legend says that if you look up into the night sky and search for her with all your heart and mind, a star will flash green letting you know that she's watching over you….protecting and guiding you."

"Have you ever looked for her?"

"I have. And it took awhile, but I saw it once, when I needed her guidance most."

"What happened?"

"I found the courage to grab hold of the one thing that means the most in this universe."

"What's that?"

"Love, child."


End file.
